


Attack!

by SuperStitious18



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Angst, Dorkiness, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 01:37:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20574320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperStitious18/pseuds/SuperStitious18
Summary: 5 times Nicole attacked Nora with snuggles and there was a journey of feelings vs the 1 time Nora wasn't the target.





	Attack!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [timetravelingpalmer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/timetravelingpalmer/gifts).

> Supposed to have been a short one but-
> 
> Inspired by something Soph brought up and this is for you!
> 
> Thank you to WardenRoot and Iurey for giving me the STRENGTH to finish this monster, y'all the mvps.
> 
> Enjoy!

1- First Time

The first time Nicole hears about Nora's past and how she got attacked a lot, she felt sad. Her mama didn't deserve that, her mama was the best! The only thing she needed to make her happy was her dad, her family, and herself. 

She was  _ determined  _ to make her mama have a positive connotation with the word "attack". 

"Daddy?" Nicole tugged at Ray's pants leg, pleased that he could immediately address her instead of asking her to wait like he sometimes had to do.

"Yes?"

"Where's mama?" 

"Nicole…" He obviously thought she meant her mama who had her, not her new mama. 

"Mama, I want to find her." She had to make sure he understood who she was talking about. He knew, he had to, right? Her daddy was the smartest,  _ ever.  _ Then again, everyone had their moments where they could be a bit behind on things. If that was the case, Nicole could wait. Not long, but she could wait for him to catch on.

Ray sighed and went to pick her up then settling her on his lap. She got distracted from her original goal for a moment, enjoying the warmth and love she was getting from him. "Remember the story? Mama got hurt really bad by some bad, bad men and her body couldn't handle it."

"Not mama,  _ mama. _ My new mama." Nicole stopped him from delving any further, she couldn't get too off course. Her new mama was sad and she  _ needed  _ snuggles. Soon.

Ray's jaw dropped, Nicole hadn't verbally called Nora that before so this was the first time he was hearing this. "O-Oh, uh, she's in… our room?" His grip was slack enough that Nicole had no problem slipping out to toddle off towards her parent's bedroom. Ray barely had enough sense to follow her and make sure she got up the stairs alright.

Nicole pushed open the door that had been left cracked open and determinedly walked over to where Nora was resting. "Oh, hey Nic-" Nora didn't get much of her greeting out before she was interrupted.

"Tack, mama!!" Nicole squealed and clambered onto the bed to throw herself into the woman's arms, snuggling her and kissing her cheeks. She was even more THRILLED when Nora let out a disbelieving noise followed by giggling at getting sticky kisses from a five year old. 

Nicole was settled down in between her parents, dozing off after the attack escalated to a tickle fight when her daddy jumped in. "Ray?" her mama whispered, her grip tightening just a tad on Nicole.

"Yeah?"

"That's the first time she called me mama." Nora's voice was thick with unshed tears. Happy tears, hopefully.

"I know, she kept asking me downstairs 'where's mama?', and I thought she meant Anna. But then she asked for her  _ new  _ mama and I just, it felt like my heart exploded with joy." Ray pulled both of them closer to his body, squishing Nicole just a little more.

Now she  _ had  _ to let them know she was still awake and very much being squashed. "Mama, daddy, you're squishing me!" 

They both laughed, squishing her a little more and peppering both sides of her face with kisses. "We can't help it! You're so cute!" one of them said and Nicole didn't even  _ care. _ She was just happy her little plan had worked so well and her mama knew she loved her.

  
  


2- Ray Records

Now that there was an established game in the house of "Where's Mama?", Ray desperately wanted to get it on camera to show literally everyone he could how adorable his daughter was. The Legends hadn't quite believed him when he said she did that, nor did they believe Nicole took to calling Nora 'mama' quite so soon after the debacle at  _ HeyWorld! _ . 

But he'd show them.

"Hey, Nicole?" He got her attention this time, interrupting her from her very important colouring. Ray readied his phone, turning on the video to record this, hoping that it'd work out exactly as planned. Nicole was very much an unpredictable child at times, he never knew if she'd go along with his silly games or being the serious child she's been at times since…

Since Neron.

"Hm?" Nicole looked up at him, all sweet, innocent eyes with her signature dimple showing with her little smile. That feeling of his heart exploding with love came back and hit him full force. Plus, he was happy to see his playful, happy daughter this time.

"I have a little game I want to play, you up for it?" Now he definitely had her attention as she excitedly put down her crayons and hopped up to stand in front of him.

"Yes!" 

"Okay, I want  _ you  _ to find mama! Where's mama?" he asked and she turned on her heel, taking off in the direction she last saw Nora go. Ray followed her to the backyard where Nora was doing a little gardening, cultivating magical plants and herbs for spells and potions. (Plus, she loved to grow things, saying it made her feel happy to give life to something when all she'd done before was take.)

"Mama!" Nicole shouted at the top of her little lungs. Nora looked up from where she was kneeling, confused and barely remembering to put down the spade she'd been using before the incoming torpedo hit her. "Tack!" She literally took Nora down to the ground, thankfully not on any of her plants or tools.

The laughter that was coming from his sweaty wife was more than worth the reprimand he was likely to get for sending Nicole after her like that. He loved watching them interact, how happy they made each other, and seeing the contrast between them  _ always  _ got him giggling a little. Nora, all dark and tanned with sharp features compared to small Nicole, her fiery red hair, soft round features and bright smiles. 

Not that Nora didn't smile, but those were soft, cute smiles compared to the sunshine their daughter brought with her. 

Ray almost dropped his phone, that was the first time he instinctively thought of Nicole as  _ theirs _ . Like, he knew blood didn't make a family, the Legends were proof enough of the fact. Something inside his head had just been hard to convince apparently.

"Daddy?" Nicole's voice got his attention and he noticed that the two of them were looking at him worriedly. He realized he'd been frozen still, tears coming down his face due to the thought of them as a family. More followed as he saw Nicole was propped on Nora's hip, their faces side by side and making them even cuter together. 

He put up his phone, the recording didn't matter right that second. Ray just wanted to hug his wife and daughter forever.

  
  


3- Passing It On

Nora  _ knew  _ Nicole and Adam were up to something but she couldn't quite pinpoint what. Her children were crowded around their little drawing table, whispering. Well, Nicole was doing most of the talking, seeing as Adam knew only a handful of words at this point.

"Nicole, Adam, what are you two up to?" Nora decided it wouldn't hurt asking, turning away from making lunch for a moment. 

"Nothing, mama!" Nicole chirped, followed by a rapid agreement from Adam. She squinted at them, they had an "I'm up to something" expression and she was almost  _ positive  _ it was because they broke something and were trying to hide it.

But that didn't make sense, Nicole was very responsible and she had the  _ worst  _ poker face when it came to lying. ' _ Just like her father, _ ' Nora mused as she turned back to making mac and cheese. She picked up the pesto to add in, glancing back at her kids one last time as she wasn't sure if she could trust a 6 year old and a 1 year old plotting together.

Nora let herself get distracted, finishing up what she was making and plating it up for the kids. She knew she made a rookie mistake as soon as she settled the plates down on the end table in the living room when  _ both  _ of her children yelled, "Tack!" and jumped her. 

"Nicole Anna Palmer! You did  _ not  _ just teach your brother that!" Nora was  _ not _ mad, which they could tell because they started tickling her and showering her with love. She retaliated quickly, picking them up and wrestling them down to the couch. 

Ray came running into the living room, hearing the ruckus caused by his wife and children, before being stopped by the adorable scene in front of him. Nora was using her magic to harmlessly keep Nicole and Adam floating in the air while they made gleeful noises. He had a feeling of what happened but could you blame him for wanting to hear it personally?

"What… happened?"

Nora grinned, twirling the children around once more before settling them down on the floor in front of their lunches. " _ Your _ son and daughter decided to ambush me. Nicole is teaching Adam the thing she came up with to make me laugh." She smiled fondly at them, happy to see Nicole devouring her pasta while Adam waited patiently for her to help him with his. 

Nora sat on the floor, pulled him onto her lap, and fed him a spoonful of the soft food. He made happy noises, gurgling and flailing in her lap towards the utensil to get more into his mouth. "Also, your son likes my mac and cheese recipe."

"That's smart, blending it a little so he can eat it easier." Ray cooed at the adorable image of Nicole, Adam, and Nora all near each other and enjoying his wife's cooking. Admittedly, she could make very little, but this pasta recipe was the  _ best  _ thing she could make. (He honestly thought it was the combination of the pesto and cream cheese but he wasn't gonna argue with Nora's secretive answer of, "It's magic.")

"Mama's smart! Of course she knows!" Nicole jumped to Nora's defense, sticking her tongue out at Ray. It was made even cuter by the fact Nicole had cheese sauce smeared all around her mouth. 

Ray held up his hands in surrender. "I know that, baby, I'm just… I don't really know? But, why  _ did  _ you teach Adam how to 'tack?" 

"So mama gets  _ twice  _ the love! He's too small to know on his own so I HAD to show him." The little "duh" went unadded but they heard it all the same. Nicole went back to her pasta, happily feeding herself and missing the looks of amusement her parents exchanged.

  
  


4- All Together

A nine year old Nicole poked her head out from the hallway, checking to make sure that her parents weren't paying attention to them for a minute. She noticed they were both snuggled down on the couch, snoozing lightly after a long mission where the Legends had needed their help. 

That had been scary, of course, she remembered when she lived on the  _ Waverider  _ and when she had experienced the danger first hand. But this was different, if anything happened to them, she'd have to take care of her brothers, make sure the boys didn't forget who loved them. She knew someone in the family would take care of them, make sure they grew up properly, but she wasn't keen on losing her mother and father. 

Again.

"Okay, you know the plan?" Nicole turned towards her little brothers. Avery and Nathaniel were only two but they were already proving to be a formidable tag teaming duo. Adam was every bit as smart as their dad was, even at just 4 years old. 

"Uh huh!" Nathaniel beamed, giving her his best finger guns, copying their Aunt Sara and some of her mannerisms. Nicole was  _ sure  _ he didn't know what he just did but just thought it looked cool. 

Avery nodded, he tended to be the strong, silent type. Except when he saw a cat, he  _ always  _ squealed and wanted to pet them. Their Uncle John usually shared an amused look with Aunt Zari and Uncle Charlie in regards to that, getting the meanest look from Aunt Zari. Nicole had no idea what secret they were sharing but she didn't have an idea what went on in adult's heads half the time anyway.

"Mission: Tack Mama, a go?" Adam asked, tugging at her shirt slightly and looking up at her with such sweet innocence. 

"Wait til papa gets up,  _ then  _ we tack Mama." Nicole grabbed his hand, holding it for a moment and making sure he heard her. When he nodded at her, his chubby features set in a determined look, only then did she drop his hand, trusting him not to go off ahead of her. The twins would follow their lead, so she wasn't too worried about them. She was worried about Nathaniel getting too excited to be on a secret mission that he'd ruin the whole thing by making too much noise.

"Alright, I'm gonna go look for the kids. They've been suspiciously quiet long enough." Nora's voice got their attention and they hid further in the shadows.

As if trying to help their plan, their father pushed her back down gently and said, "No way, you rest. I'll look for our tiny horde." 

"Ray…" The kids all made 'ew' faces when Ray kissed Nora, cupping her face softly and telling her to stay put. They did adore the love their parents had for each other, but they weren't particularly excited about seeing them do weird things, like kiss. 

Nora sat back on the couch, happy to rest longer and knead her fingers over her aching knee. She'd taken a pretty bad hit from a disgruntled werewolf who didn't like the fact she had magic. It could be worse, while she was home and resting, Ava was on the  _ Waverider _ in a medically induced coma after being mauled by said werewolf. Sara and their daughter, Laurel, were freaking out and worrying about  _ if  _ Ava would wake up.

Yeah, it was that bad. It didn't help the fact that she had called Ava her 'older sister' in reference to her when talking to Nate. Nora firmly believed it was enough to distract her and get her off her game enough that she would have not seen the attack coming. 

Her expression soured, unknowingly sending off distressed waves of magic that her children were picking up on. She was so tired of being attacked, over and over, and losing people to the nasty surprises.

"Tack mama!" Nora barely had enough time to brace herself as little feet came running at her and suddenly, she had all four kids climbing over her and squishing her between their tiny limbs. 

Her knee was stinging from where one of them stepped on it but she didn't care, her children just swarmed her in a group hug. Nora's heart swelled with affection and pride at how much they loved her, how much she loved  _ them.  _ If nothing else, she could say she'd been a good mom somewhat.

"Mama! I told Adam, Nathaniel, and Avery you got hurt and that we  _ had  _ to tack you. We planned! Just like you and the aunt-uncle squad." Nicole looked so damn proud of herself, she had a right to be. Her daughter was definitely a natural born leader, somehow wrangling her wild brothers to follow her lead and make their mom happy.

Nora  _ was _ happy. "I'm proud of you! And thank you so very much for the love!" She kissed each of their foreheads, getting kisses on her cheeks in return. "I'm just worried about your Aunt Ava and how she's doing."

"Cause she has a big owie?" Nathaniel asked, his gray eyes looking at her inquisitively. 

"No, no, she  _ is  _ a big owie," Nicole corrected him before Nora could explain. "Remember? Mama said she got  _ really  _ hurt. Cousin Laurel and Auntie Sara are scared too, mama's scared cause Auntie Ava is her sister."

Nora chuckled a little. Of course, if anyone could understand the meaning of adopted family being  _ real _ family, it would be Nicole. 

"Well, I see the kids found you." Ray's voice got them all looking towards him. He was holding a camera and had obviously just snapped pictures. "Also, kids, please get off your mother. She got a little hurt the other day." 

All of them scrambled off Nora, worrying over her now and offering to kiss the 'ouchie' and make it better. She was surprised to feel magic coming from the boys, pouring over her and trying to heal her. 

There had been a chance that her magic could be passed down to them but she had no real way to know for sure. Not until they got older and started showing signs. Nicole had this weird aura about her, however, much like something was being blocked from rearing its head.

"Did we hurt you, mama?" Nicole's wide eyes were filled with tears, her lower lip trembling as she thought her plan got Nora hurt.

"No, no, baby. Come here." Nora hugged Nicole first, she was the most upset out of the four of them. Maybe it was because she couldn't be reassured through magic, maybe it was the fierce love Nora felt for her only daughter. 

Whatever it was that bonded them, Nora was grateful that she had Nicole in her life. Nicole, her brothers, Ray… 

She was glad they were all together.

  
  


5- Sad Snuggles

Nicole sighed. Today had been a long, no good, horrible day at school. First, she missed the bus due to waking up late after a training session with her mom the night before. Her car wasn't working, someone having stolen an  _ entire engine without them noticing _ , so they were waiting on her Uncle Jax to bring the necessary parts from Central City tonight.

Then she got to school during the middle of her first class after hoofing it the 3 miles to get there. She was hot, sweaty, and royally pissed off when she realized she had  _ none  _ of her books or homework for that block or the following block in her bookbag. 

Honestly, she almost called it then, ready to skip the rest of the day and go home.

But she had her engineering class at the end of the day and that was her  _ favorite  _ class. Maybe in part due to her teacher, Ms. Jacobi, who was the absolute  _ coolest  _ teacher she had ever had. Nicole didn't know why exactly but Ms. Jacobi had this way of grabbing her attention and keeping it. It didn't hurt that she was the only girl in that block and Ms. Jacobi liked to joke around with her about how "us girls have to stick together."

So, maybe she could stick it out?

The catalyst for the day being a complete waste was after lunch. Someone got word to her that they'd have a substitute teacher for that block and Nicole really couldn't stomach today any longer. She did something that would  _ definitely  _ get her in trouble later.

She skipped class and booked it off campus, avoiding security and the students who would absolutely rat her out. 

Nora was knitting a scarf on the couch when the front door was thrown open, a soaking wet Nicole stepping through the threshold  _ well before  _ school was supposed to be out. At first, she was going to ask her why she was home so early, but stopped when tear filled eyes turned towards her.

"Please don't be mad." Nicole's voice cracked. Nora was stunned, the little girl she once was who always wore her heart on her sleeve had turned into a rather strong, happy teenager. Point being, it had been a long time since Nicole cried or sought out comfort for negative emotions.

"What's-?" Nora didn't get to finish as Nicole tackled her after she put down her knitting needles. She brought her hands up to rub at Nicole's back as she sobbed into Nora's shoulder, refusing to let go of her mother.

Nora's heart broke with each hysterical sob that came from her daughter. What the hell happened? There was no way this was just today, this was a venting of emotions that had been building up for weeks, maybe even months if she knew Nicole like she did.

"Hey, hey, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Nora pushed Nicole back just enough to cup her daughter's face, wiping away the tears that had fallen with her thumbs. She hadn't seen Nicole this upset in literal  _ years _ .

"Just everything! Today's been a waste, I forgot my books and homework for  _ two  _ classes, I got a lunch tray thrown at my face and had to wear my gym clothes,  _ then _ Ms. Jacobi is out and we were gonna have that sub that absolutely  _ hates  _ women in STEM." Nicole rushed out the first part, angrily pulling away from Nora. She swiped aggressively at her own face, trying to get rid of her own hot tears.

Nora stayed silent, as much as she wanted to interject, she knew she needed to let Nicole vent before she was ready for any type of comfort.

"And the gym teacher is a tyrant! She's so hard on me, I wouldn't say that if I wasn't  _ certain  _ I was being singled out, you know, right?" Nicole seemed satisfied with Nora's simple nod. "Always making me do extra exercise and shit like that!" She paused in her pacing and gave her mother a remorseful look. "Crap, sorry."

"It's okay, dear. I think I can forgive you for language." Nora would normally be amused by Nicole swearing, but now was so not the time to laugh at something she did.

Nicole slumped a little, sitting back down on the couch. "It feels like so much is expected of me.  _ 'Oh, you're Ray Palmer's daughter! You've gotta be smart like him!' _ or  _ 'Your mom is Nora Darhk? Oh shit, I'm sorry you got an absolute bitch for a mother.'  _ And that's just  _ some  _ of the things I've heard. I hear it all because I threaten anyone Adam, Aves or Nate knows to not bring that crap up with them."

Screw months of hiding her feelings, this was  _ years  _ of repression coming to light.

"I know you and dad did the best you could, especially when I was a kid and after… Neron. Settling down and stuff, but it just feels like there's so much I  _ have  _ to do." Nicole leaned back into Nora, sighing as she got to snuggle back into her mother's front after venting and ranting.

They were quiet for a while, Nora unsure of what to say while Nicole had said all she needed to say.

"Hey." Nora started. "You remember that thing you used to do? Whenever you decided I needed extra love? You'd attack me and snuggle me to death?"

"Mmhm."

"You basically did it today, but this time, you were cashing in on all that extra love I had saved up." Nora pointed out, getting a thoughtful noise from Nicole. "You know, it's okay to have feelings, right? You don't have to keep all that in."

"I can't help it. I gotta be strong for the boys, for you guys."

"Sweetheart, your father and I have both been possessed by demons, I don't think there's anything we  _ can't  _ handle. And the boys? Well, we can explain to them. Ray and I will, you, however, are going to go shower and change into dry clothes before you catch a cold. I'll start making a late lunch for us, okay?"

"Mac and cheese?" Nicole asked hopefully.

Nora smiled, happy that some of the old sunshine Nicole was peeking through. "Well, what else would I make for comfort food?"

The conversation wasn't over by a long shot, she and Ray would have some work to do on easing the stress their 16 year old felt. Maybe getting her to a therapist wouldn't be a bad idea, especially if Ava could pull some strings and get her one at the Bureau… Then maybe they could start being okay.

It didn't matter what she had to do, she'd make sure Nicole was alright.

+1- When Mom "Isn't" Home

"Hey guys!" Nicole was swarmed by her three big, little brothers. All of them towered over her, only Avery even somewhat close to her own height and he was taller by half a foot. She wasn't a slouch mind you, a nice, even 5'10" and she was certainly taller than her petite mother. 

"Nicky!" Also, she  _ hated  _ that her 20 year old brother still held onto that childhood nickname. "You ready to surprise mom and dad?" Nathaniel continued, grinning down at her.

Avery elbowed his twin none too gently. "We could ask her how her flight was. Or how her life on Purgatory is going. Instead, you assault her with your sunshine enthusiasm." He rolled his eyes, but Nicole knew he was secretly amused by Nathaniel's eagerness. 

Nathaniel winced and rubbed his side, muttering an apology to Nicole. "Aves does have a point, how was your flight? How's your _ wife _ ? How's being the fucking  _ Sherrif?"  _ Adam jumped in, beaming when he said the word wife. 

Nicole rolled her eyes as she moved past them, dragging her suitcase behind her to the car. She heard them shouting questions at her, sprinting to make sure she didn’t get too far ahead of them. Man, she had really missed them and their antics. Living and working in Purgatory was fun, she had her own life and everything but these boys were her family and she missed her family. She missed her parents, she missed the advice and comfort they always brought her growing up. Nicole especially missed her mom’s cooking and her dad’s baking, how they always woke up before her and her brothers to make breakfast. How sometimes they’d get downstairs and see them slow dancing without any music playing…

“Hey, what’s on your mind?” Adam asked her softly, concerned by the solemn look on her face.

She chuckled, shaking her head. “It’s weird man. We’re all grown up, I’m a cop, you’re studying to take over dad’s company… Nate and Aves are in college! We all have magic and are  _ damned _ good at using it, both by ourselves and as a group. I feel like it wasn’t that long ago that I was on the run from Mallus and Bulshar’s cronies.”

“Those stories were wild, but I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that you were  _ there.  _ You were there when the Legends got together, you were almost there from the beginning of it all? You were born about the time Aunt Sara came back into everyone's life." Nathaniel sounded absolutely weirded out by that thought. "You met Aunt Ava before she really  _ was  _ Aunt Ava."

Nicole snickered, she remembered that. "Oh, you mean 3 year old me seeing a REALLY tall lady and think she was gonna be my personal jungle gym?" The boys laughed as they all had thought that when they first comprehended how tall their aunt was. "Yeah, it was after the… well, after our aunts, uncle and pops stole the  _ Waverider  _ to try and do the Julius Caesar mission."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she had gotten injured and Aunt Gideon is advanced enough to help heal injuries, remember? When I got shot?"

" _ Which time? _ " Avery chimed in, glaring at her through the rearview mirror. "You get shot at,  _ a lot. _ "

"I'm a cop! It's a normal hazard!"

"That one was you being reckless!" He spat back, clearly not liking this trip down memory lane anymore. "You  _ promised  _ when you left that you would be careful and you  _ jumped in front of a gun without your vest!  _ What were you trying to do? Prove the lesbian sterotype true?"

"Hey! I'm  _ okay.  _ Yeah, it wasn't the smartest thing and I'm sorry I scared you so much." She really shouldn't have brought that up because of how much that scared her family. Nicole remembers them visiting her while she was in her coma, all of them talking to her, Adam being the only rational one. Nathaniel had cried a lot and Avery hadn't said much but she knew he held her hand and prayed over her. 

"I wasn't scared." Avery denied.

Well, not that he'd admit outloud.

" _ Anyways." _ Nicole wanted to finish the story before they got to the place they were meeting their mother. "Aunt Gideon was healing up Aunt Ava while Rip was arguing with Aunt Sara and I wanted to make sure she was okay. She didn't expect a toddler to pop their head over the side of the bed and ask if she needed someone to hold her hand." 

"Oh,  _ that  _ had to have been funny." Adam said, slowing the car down to stop for the traffic light. "Aunt Ava doesn't like being startled."

"Oh yeah, she almost smacked baby Nicole." They all laughed about it, the image of Ava Lance startling so bad she almost knocked out someone on reflex. "That would have been less funny had she done it, but she didn't. She asked me who's kid I was, I told her and I think she picked me up, carried me to the bridge and laid into them about letting a  _ child  _ onto the Waverider. I think holding me ruined her seriousness to them cuz they weren't so… standoffish to Aunt Ava after that."

"Then Aunt Sara falls ass over heels in love with her." Nathaniel remarked, getting another round of laughter from everyone in the car before they continued on in a content silence.

Nora happily let herself be swarmed by her four adult children as it had been  _ months  _ since she had seen them all in one place as they were living their own lives now a days. "When did you all get so  _ big? _ " She looked over each of them, studying their healthy complexions and the easy smiles three of them wore. Avery had his own little, happy glint instead of being over expressive like his brothers and sister.

"Well-"

"I  _ know  _ what you're about to say, Adam Carson Palmer. May I remind you that I may be getting older and I'm a little short, but I am also your mother?"

With all four of them properly cowed now, they sat down to arrange the plan they had in motion to surprise Ray for his birthday. "Now, he thinks I'm out picking up things for the party tonight, which isn't a lie. You all are going to help me finish gathering supplies and  _ when  _ we get home, you'll go in and surprise him! Especially since he didn't think Nicole or Avery would be here for it." Nora explained their game plan, getting agreement from all of her children. 

"I have my present for him in the suitcase!" Nicole grinned, excited to see his reaction, well, everyone's reaction but she couldn't  _ wait  _ until later that night when they were all settled down for presents.

But right now, they had to surprise a certain Ray Palmer for his birthday. Had it really been so long? The time flew by in the blink of an eye to all of them, one time they were children, learning how the world worked and now they were here, celebrating the man that raised them turning  _ sixty _ .

"Hey ma?" Nicole got Nora's attention, starkly away of all the gray showing up in her hair and just how  _ tired  _ she was starting to look. 

"What is it, baby?" 

Nicole paused, maybe today wasn't the best day to bring up her fears. "I had an idea." She says instead, "Maybe we could…" Nicole whispers it in the little Palmer huddle they have going on.

\------------------

Ray just had a gut feeling that something was going to happen today. It wasn't a bad feeling, in fact, he was  _ positive  _ that something good was going to happen. 

Soon, hopefully. Maybe his wife coming home would be the thing because although it's only been a few hours since she left, his heart aches for her to be back. The empty nest syndrome was still hitting him pretty hard, even if Nathaniel was still in Star City and visited every time he could… He missed a full house, a house that had the sound of kids growing up and enjoying life.

Maybe he could talk to Nora and they could adopt… or even start fostering. He was only 60, still young! 

The front door opening just as he put the broom away had his heart soaring. It  _ had  _ to be Nora! Well, except, nowadays she was usually singing a soft, little tune when she came in the house. So maybe it wasn't her? He really hoped it wasn't an intruder, someone trying to rob him at… 1 in the afternoon…

"Tack papa!" Was what he heard before he was pinned to the floor by his four grown ass children all shouting and cushioning his fall with a galaxy coloured swirl of magic. 

So  _ this  _ is what his wife had been experiencing for the past 24 years since Nicole started this little game at age five. He felt extremely loved and happy, especially since he didn't think two out of the four of them would be there today! He thought they were coming in tomorrow!

"We  _ got  _ you, papa!" Nicole grinned at him, her dimpled smile an old familiar comfort to him. Nathaniel and Adam were on top of her, jabbing on about dog piling him while Avery rolled his eyes but looked rather pleased with himself.

"You did! I certainly didn't expect this!" He was glad he kept in shape to be able to do this. "Like, honestly, usually y'all only did this with your mom!"

"And it was my idea, my love." Nora said, chuckling as five sets of Palmer eyes focused on her. "You've been so down lately and I  _ know  _ this game always made you smile. Well, plus, all of our kids are  _ home  _ and under one roof."

"Best. Birthday. Ever." Ray stated, enjoying the warmth and weight from his children _ .  _ His  _ adult  _ children. "Okay, but as spry as I still am, I would love to hug you all  _ back. _ "

After they all hugged and got settled down where they would be sleeping that night, they finally descended onto the couches to give Ray the gifts they all got. He got new tech from Adam, something his son designed himself to upgrade the software on his ATOM suit. (A suit he intended to pass down to Nathaniel one day when he officially retired…) 

From Nathaniel and Avery, he got two stuffed toys. One was a little purple dragon and the other was a black labrador, neither of which he understood why he had them. "The dragon is mama and the dog is you, papa! You get the dragon and… here, squeeze the ear!"

He did as instructed and Nora's voice came from a little speaker, a short message that told him that she loved him and he just saying his name all sweetly. Ray couldn't help the tears that started coming down his face when that happened, god, he loved his wife's voice. So lost in that emotion, he barely registered his voice coming from the dog plushie, something similar playing to Nora.

Nora had promised him a surprise later, but she gave him a handwritten poem about their lives together. About how she couldn't wait for 23 more years married to him. About how proud she was of him. About their children and how thankful she was that he took a chance on her. How he saved her and how he let her return the favor.

Ray was positive he couldn't handle anymore happiness, but he'd push on because he still had one gift left to go. 

"So, um, this one's kind of weird." Nicole shifted, holding an envelope in her hands and fidgeting with it. "I have a puzzle for you! It's something Waverly and I put together, since she couldn't be here today."

He eagerly took the little handmade game from her. Upon a short inspection, it was a scrabble game that had fill in the blank descriptions for the people he loved. Such as, 'Nora Palmer is my _ _ _.' 

Easy, Nora was Nicole's mom. Adam had brown eyes. Avery was silent but deadly… Nathaniel was goofy….

But the last one? "Ray Palmer, my dad, will be a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ by Christmas." And the remaining letters made  _ no  _ sense. DAPRAGN? 

"Okay…?" He puzzled over what those letters could even  _ make _ and why would Nicole give him a date 7 and a half months away? What was the significance of making it clear he was a  _ dad? _ Ray's face screwed up as he tapped his chin, all of his focus on what these letters meant.

And suddenly, it hit him like Grodd throwing him into a wall. 

He shakily filled out the blanks, tears coming down his cheeks all over again as the complete word, sentence lay before them all. Once everyone read it, there was a ferocious amount of noise being made and hugging going around. Ray couldn't believe it, he  _ couldn't.  _ Nora couldn't because she kept looking from Nicole, to him, to the letters and just an absolute sobbing mess.

All through the celebration hug, the sentence, "Ray Palmer, my dad, will be a GRANDPA by Christmas." sat there, marking the start of a new era of Palmers and the hope for a new generation of kids lives he'd get to be a part of.


End file.
